Brandon Ingram was once a highly-touted prospect on the verge of a breakout with the Los Angeles Lakers. More recently, the former New Orleans Pelicans forward was a star in need of a fresh start. Ingram got that with the Toronto Raptors, and he may have squandered it during this postseason.
When the Raptors traded for Brandon Ingram, the goal was clear. Toronto wanted to take offensive pressure off Scottie Barnes, particularly in a halfcourt setting. Ingram did find some success with that during the regular season, but it did not carry over to the NBA Playoffs.
After an All-Star campaign in 2025-26, the debut playoff series for Ingram in Toronto was incredibly disappointing. The Raptors forward fell way short of expectations, only averaging 12.0 points per game on 32.8 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from beyond the arc. Yikes.
Ingram's series was cut short after an injury in Game 5 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Despite that, the Raptors forced a Game 7 with RJ Barrett's contributions making the former Laker look quite replaceable. At his current price tag, that may just be his ultimate fate with Toronto.
Brandon Ingram's 2026 playoffs made him quite dispensable in Toronto
When the Raptors bought low on Ingram, adding him at a very comfortable price before the 2025 NBA trade deadline, they moved quickly to give their new forward a contract extension. Now, Ingram's contract number is slated for $40 million in the upcoming 2026-27.
That is not a pay check that will be easy to justify. The highlights, or lowlights, of this postseason for Ingram included telling the media he wanted more shots in the offense, and then proceeding to not back up those loud demands.
Suddenly, that $40 million sticks out as a very ugly number.
Raptors fans were comparing Ingram's stinkers to DeMar DeRozan's playoff struggles with the franchise. For Lakers fans to contextualize this, an imperfect comparison for those lows would be D'Angelo Russell. Those were the type of frustrations that many in Toronto felt.
Now comes the hard part for Bobby Webster and the Raptors front office.
Their playoff series against the Cavaliers proved this core is worth investing in. Barnes looked like the best player in a series that featured Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. Collin Murray-Boyles had a fantastic first playoff run with the Raptors. Toronto may even want to considering extending Barrett after his heroics.
Ingram is one of the players who sticks out as readily available in any effort to pursue an upgrade for the Raptors. His contract could be included in an outgoing package that nets a max player who provides real boost to the halfcourt offense in the regular season and playoffs.
Ideally, that star would also be ready to play in the Raptors' up-tempo offense too. The Raptors are tied for the third-fastest pace from this postseason. Ingram was not the best fit in meshing his style into that.
A career that once started with being selected second overall by the Lakers could be headed for another new chapter. Watching the situation from a distance, Los Angeles continues to find fewer regrets about trading away Ingram in the package that got them Anthony Davis (and a title).
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